It had been dark for some time, and the city of Fuzhou was ablaze with lights. Nightlife was gradually unfolding, with brothels and taverns, wine shops and tea houses all bustling with activity. People gathered in various places, discussing many things, including politics.

The road from the imperial palace to the Princess's residence had been under brief curfew, but it had been lifted soon after. The imperial procession had gone to the princess's mansion, which was not unusual.

Throughout the day, all kinds of meetings had been held in the imperial court, and now many arrangements decided by the core of power had gradually leaked out and infiltrated the surroundings, thus determining the hot topics on many dinner tables in Fuzhou that night.

No matter how it was told, the biggest pain point for the imperial court in Fujian was still money and food.

"No money or food."

Under the warm yellow lanterns, in a courtyard with a huge banyan tree, Jun Wu sighed as he looked at his sister on the opposite recliner, who was reading a memorial while gently rubbing her forehead. He sat down on a stone stool, and Zhao Xiaosong brought him well water from the back of the princess's mansion.

"...After exhausting all the grain and silver in the Ministry of Revenue's reserves, emptying my private money, and even including the 'dowry' I received this time, it's still difficult to raise enough money for this expedition. Sister, look, if I get married again, I'll lose face."

In this private setting, without anyone else around, the Emperor's words were self-deprecating and amusing, with a hint of deliberately acting cute. Zhou Pei put down the memorial listing expenses, the corners of her mouth twitching, and the slight smile caused a slight pain in her forehead. She turned her gaze to the side.

"The Ministry of War's list is wildly extravagant; we can cross out some items. But once we send troops, we won't be able to control the situation. The wealthy families in Jiangnan have been swept away by the Egalitarian Party. Even if we win, just resettling refugees and restoring people's livelihood will take several years of investment. Without reliable financial resources, we can't support the situation in Jiangnan. And are we really prepared to fight the Egalitarian Party?"

"Xu Zhaonan, Shi Baofeng, plus some other heroes, are not difficult to defeat. Marshal Yue and Marshal Han are confident. But He Wen is not so easy to deal with. According to the precedents in the Southwest and the reports from there, if he completes internal reforms this time, Jiangnan will be troublesome..." Jun Wu took a sip of water. "So I'm actually a bit hesitant. Han Shizhong, and some disciples of the Zuo family, have all given some suggestions in their memorials. If possible, it would be good for us to get rid of He Wen first."

"You still want to appease him," Zhou Pei smiled.

"Of course, I want to appease him. He's not a bad person; he's a true hero. I've also investigated his experiences over the years. Sister, if I had gone through what he did, I wouldn't have become someone like him; I probably would have been finished long ago. After the Jiangning Conference last year, I sent envoys every month, trying to move him, but he was all smiles on the surface, but he just wouldn't budge... In the previous years, when I sent people over, he always had a stern face, but he might not have been averse to joining forces with me. Now that he's all smiles, I know that after the Jiangning Conference, he's become even more determined. He was influenced by the Southwest and really wants... equality for all. I can't be friends with him anymore."

"Hmph." Zhou Pei rubbed her temples, humming.

Jun Wu sat there, looking tired. Over the past day and night, Zhou Pei had slept intermittently, while he had been summoning his staff, holding meetings with various parties, and discussing countermeasures since last night. After things came to an end, he brought his men to his sister's side. He had been awake for much longer.

There was a brief silence.

"The Southwest... After defeating the Jurchens, Teacher wrote several articles about... the importance of grassroots enlightenment and soldier reform. I've read them many times, so I fully accepted this reform of 'Respecting the King and Expelling the Barbarians'... Soldiers who can form ranks and obey orders are no longer impressive. Soldiers who can form ranks and obey orders when gathered, and who also know why they are fighting when separated, are truly impressive. If you want such soldiers, you must give them a reason. Now, Teacher has done this reform most thoroughly, and those who have truly grasped one or two of his ideas include Zou Xu in the Central Plains and the female chancellor in Jin. After some time, He Wen of the Egalitarian Party will probably be added, and He Wen probably does it most thoroughly... As for us..."

He held the cup of well water, turning it in his hand, "We... finally have some reasons, but the food is cut off..."

Zhou Pei thought for a while, "Didn't we say earlier that Zuo Xiuquan went to find Gao Chang?"

"Hmph. Another group of people was sent..." Jun Wu also sneered.

This was an action that the imperial court had taken earlier. They had estimated that Lin'an City might be breached, and they hoped that Gao Chang could enter the city early to control the situation and give the imperial court a presentable outcome. Who knew that the news that came back was that the other party had not taken the lead.

"The reasons will have to be investigated later... But as things stand now, he is a warlord. Either his strength is really insufficient, or... he is ostensibly complying but actually disobeying, working without putting in effort... In the end, although Duke Zuo barely convinced him last year, our strength is really not enough. It's only natural that people look down on us..."

"Can't he fully help us at this time?"

"How can he see the horror of He Wen!" Jun Wu lowered his eyes. "What's more, he is a member of the Egalitarian Party. If he really can't win, he can still defect to He Wen... But He Wen won't want him, a soldier-rogue."

"Didn't another group of people submit memorials, saying to kill more treacherous clans..."

"We can't kill any more; if we kill any more, they will all go into the mountains," Jun Wu said. "Fujian is such a complicated place. When we came here three years ago, everyone was harmonious and we received money and food for a year. After that, we started killing people. It seems that the control over some places has become stronger, but you know best, Sister, that the money and food we collect have decreased instead of increased... In the end, with eight mountains, one river, and one field, if we want to collect taxes, we have to rely on their cooperation... If we really force all the people into the mountains, we don't have enough officials ourselves. Han Shizhong is now barely controlling two main roads, which is already not easy."

Zhou Pei calmly raised her eyes, "If we really can't continue, then force them. Even if it's drinking poison to quench our thirst, we have to get through this year. Maybe the fleet will return in the autumn."

Jun Wu opened his mouth, "...Then we'll tell the people who went into the mountains to come out and get rich together?"

"Some people will always come out. As for the rest, we'll slowly suppress them. As long as we have financial resources, we can suppress them completely in ten years."

Zhou Pei's voice slowly echoed in the courtyard. Her gaze was fixed on no one in particular, as if she herself was pondering this near-desperate determination. After a moment of silence, she spoke again.

"Jun Wu, this is the path you chose yourself. Originally, we also had roots, the roots of the royal family, the roots of the Wu Dynasty, which are your deepest and most reliable roots. In Fujian, if we followed the old ways, even if we didn't have enough money and food, if we went out to fight now, there would always be influential Jiangnan clans or even warlords who would come to our aid, and people's hearts would quickly gather. With the cooperation of these people, even if you don't have money and food for disaster relief, you can quickly conquer Jiangnan and return to Lin'an. But you have already rejected this path, so we have no choice but to walk this way."

"Sister, don't you believe... don't you believe what Teacher said?"

"I..." Zhou Pei lay there, her eyes shifting in the darkness. After a moment, the corners of her eyes twitched slightly. She clenched her teeth and threw a cup from her hand out with a sound, and tears welled up in her eyes for some reason.

"Sister..."

"I believe! What don't I believe!" Zhou Pei suddenly said, "He's our teacher! I've told you so many times, don't say he's Teacher, you still have to say... He's our teacher, so amazing! He fought for three years in Xiaocang River, causing rivers of blood to flow, scaring the Jurchens, and after the battle, you realized how amazing that was! He directly defeated Wanyan Zonghan in the Southwest. He killed Wanyan Zonghan's son in front of him! He's called a demon in the outside world! He's so amazing, but now he's our enemy—are you not afraid that he will just send you those statements which have some things hidden... some things hidden... I'm afraid you'll just die like this, just lose the Wu Dynasty's empire like this—"

In a sudden burst of tears, Zhou Pei's words suddenly became intense. Her expression was complex, with sadness, pain, excitement, and fragility... Jun Wu put down the cup, walked over, and gently massaged her forehead from behind the recliner. Zhou Pei closed her eyes tightly. After a long while, she raised her hand to stroke the back of her brother's hand.

"Actually, I think Teacher may not have those bad intentions..." Jun Wu said softly.

Again, there was a period of silence with her eyes closed. Zhou Pei's voice was hoarse.

"I also want to believe... but over the years... we have seen so many things... so many people... we... haven't seen him for so many years... Jun Wu..."

"But he defeated the Jurchens," Jun Wu said, "If he wasn't a peerless hero different from others, how could he have defeated the Jurchens... To do extraordinary things, one must be an extraordinary person. Sister, look at General Yue. How strict is his military discipline? He is such an upright person... You see, after being the emperor for so many years, I have gained some ability to recognize people."

"What about Han Shizhong..." Zhou Pei smiled.

"Marshal Han... a great man who stands upright, even his rebellious side seems particularly unique, doesn't it... So this is my view, Teacher, he is different from others..."

"You're quite the emperor..." Zhou Pei smiled, hesitated slightly, and then said, "... somewhat."

"Sister, if you don't worry about Teacher, your headaches will be 70% better."

Jun Wu let go of her, walked to the side and sat down, and the hands of the two siblings were clasped together.

After the mood calmed down, Zhou Pei said, "I don't support all-in so-called constitutional monarchy, Jun Wu, no one has done this, Confucianism educates all people, but ultimately, many people can not be educated well... Teacher also made it clear when he gave us those things, this is an experiment, a risk, but you wholeheartedly go to do it..."

Jun Wu just smiled.

Zhou Pei held his hand: "But ultimately, Jun Wu, you are the emperor, you are the lord, you have your own firm judgment, and I, as the elder sister, can only make up for what is missing and do some mending work. Since you have already thought of doing things to this extent, I can only help you to do it thoroughly... As for the matter of sending troops, if there is really no way, then let's drain the pond to get all the fish, and I will lead, I will make the list, and I will clean the big clans that need to be cleaned."

"..."

Feeling the strength from her elder sister's hand, Jun Wu was also silent for a while, and then looked up: "It has not reached this point, the matter of sending troops, there is already a draft plan for now, the imperial court from top to bottom, began to cut back on spending, and the expenses of the palace will be reduced to 30% of what they were before..."

"Thirty percent?"

Jun Wu nodded: "The imperial court, up and down, reduce various expenses as much as possible to 70% of what they were before, and the salaries of officials will be halved. Mr. Li will cooperate to launch public opinion. The students of the Martial Arts Academy, as long as they have completed more than half a year of study, will go to the front line and cooperate with the soldiers of the Beiwei Army to properly resettle the refugees from the south on the spot. These students, the soldiers, and the refugees are required to eat and live together... And then proclaim to everyone that our army reports to the Emperor and relieves the suffering of the people below... This 'relieving the suffering of the people' is the core of 'Respecting the King and Expelling the Barbarians' that follows."

Zhou Pei opened her mouth: "This is... the Zuo family's idea? Is it feasible?"

"It's not easy to do, but Zuo Wenxuan said that when they were in the most difficult situation in the Southwest, they did it this way, Teacher and the others... eat the same things as the soldiers, only eat one meal a day... Next, I will do the same."

"..." Zhou Pei thought for a while, "If the officials' salaries are really cut, they will steal from other places..."

"Kill, Mr. Cheng will preside over it, and the Zuo family members and the backbone of the Martial Arts Academy will be the enforcement team, checking and killing every day, and publicizing it..."

Zhou Pei narrowed her eyes when she heard this: "Who suggested these later things to you?"

"I understand what you mean," Jun Wu smiled, "Zuo Wenxuan made the previous suggestion, but he didn't dare to say the later ones. I thought of it myself."

Zhou Pei then relaxed: "That is to say, you choose not to kill the big clans first, but to break with the officials in the imperial court? Jun Wu, these are all your subordinates..."

"If there are no strict laws in the rear, the soldiers will be frugal in the front, and the officials will be digging in the back, and the whole thing will not be done well..."

"This matter is already difficult, you want the officials in the imperial court to be as clean as water, and you also want to break away from some people and become estranged... Although I was prepared for it, you have to think about this order..."

"...Yes." Jun Wu nodded, "Actually, Mr. Cheng also mentioned this point, and I am also considering it."

"But it's also good," Zhou Pei sighed, "In this way, there are at least two ways..."

Because of the careful location of the courtyard, it was a little cool at this time of night. The siblings had talked about intense things, and now they were finally sitting quietly. Chatting about some trivial matters, Jun Wu talked about what he saw in a corner of the imperial city last night, saying that an assassin had broken into the Princess's residence, but he didn't know the specific details.

Zhou Pei just shook her head. It should have been a scheme made by Cheng Zhouhai and Zuo Wenxuan. Those two people were busy with their work outside today, and after waking up, she had been busy with the matter of collecting money and food, and she still had no mood to care about it.

"Should I call Zhao Xiaosong over to ask?" Zhou Pei said.

"No." Jun Wu shook his head, "Let's just stay with us siblings for a while. If there are any assassins, I'll protect you."

Zhou Pei smiled: "Your martial arts..."

"Don't underestimate me, I've been on the battlefield... and Sister, don't you think about who our teacher is? Many people in the Jianghu say that Teacher is a martial arts grandmaster, the number one person in the world... Alas, it's a pity that Teacher didn't seriously teach me his Pan Tian Yin back then, he only said a few words about exercising..."

"That's fake."

"Teacher hid it very well back then..." Jun Wu didn't listen. After a moment, "Sister, over the years, you get angry when you talk about Teacher, you get angry when you talk about Teacher, but when I talk about Teacher with others, I always feel happy... What do you really think of him? Why are you angry?"

"..."

"Then I became the emperor, and I have a lot of experience and seen a lot of people, and I have some insights." Jun Wu held her hand and opened her palm, "Sister, do you feel wronged when you think of Teacher?"

The palm moved slightly, but finally stopped, Zhou Pei's eyes looked at Jun Wu, and Jun Wu also looked at her gently. He was imagining the story that happened between his sister and the teacher on the way to Beijing, and her eyes were a little blank. In the distance of memory, there is a girl's yearning for perfection, and gentle, farewell courtly manners...

Just in this small eye contact, in the courtyard not far from here, someone shouted.

A commotion suddenly occurred.